References herein to guns and rifles are intended as generally referring to and describing tactical rifles and carbines, and tactical shotguns.
Hunting rifles having a sling dispensing spool which is rotatably mounted within the rear shoulder stock are known. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 2,614,355 entitled “Retractable Sling for Guns,” issued Oct. 21, 1952, to Rogers, et al. Such specially modified firearms typically inefficiently and insufficiently facilitate selective gun sling extension and deployment, sling locking, and sling releasing functions which are needed in use of modern tactical rifles.
Common modes of use of modern tactical rifles variably position the weapon at or over a rifleman's shoulder, against the rifleman's back, or at varying locations at and about the rifleman's torso or waist. To facilitate quick movement of a tactical rifle from a rest position at a rifleman's side or chest to a shouldered position, a short gun sling loop which suspends the weapon from the rifleman's shoulder at the opposite side of the rifleman's torso is beneficially provided. During periods where the weapon is transported by the rifleman without any need for vigilance in target acquisition, a longer gun sling loop may be provided which allows the rifleman to carry the weapon suspended from a shoulder and across the rifleman's back. Alternatively, during carriage of the weapon within and through areas of obstruction such as brush and crossing tree branches, the rifleman may variably position the weapon in relation to his body during movements within and through such obstructions. Where such obstructions are present, removal of the gun sling or minimization of the length of its loop may be effected to avoid snagging and catching of the gun sling.
In each of the above described gun sling usage scenarios, a need exists for permanency and freedom from slippage of the selected sling loop configuration. As the weapon's use environment changes, a further need arises for ease in transition to a modified and equally permanent and slip free loop configuration. In contrast with prior art stock spooled gun slings which typically fail to satisfy such rifleman's needs, the instant inventive gun stock incorporates specialized spool rotating, locking, and releasing mechanisms which facilitate secure locking of the gun sling at a selected loop length, and which facilitate easy and convenient release and re-locking of the spooled sling for slippage free sling loop reconfigurations.